CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos recorded a 4-0 win over the UBC Thunderbirds in game two of their Canada West quarterfinal series at Father David Bauer Arena Saturday night.
The win evens the best-of-three series at a win apiece.
Calgary was looking to knot up the series after falling 4-3 in Friday's opener. It was a contest the Dinos had a chance to win, but some sloppy play on the special teams and final minutes of periods cost them on the scoreboard which ended in the T-Birds' favour.
"We need to regroup and play better," said UBC head coach Milan Dragicevic after the game. "It is all or nothing now."
After allowing four goals on 16 shots Friday, the Dinos went back to their number one goaltender by giving Dustin Butler the call between the pipes. The goaltender that finished game one, Kris Lazaruk, was unable take part and was replaced by Jacob DeSerres.
The Dinos got it started at the 5:30 mark. First-year forward Tyler Fiddler broke in beside the defence and went forehand-to-backhand to open the scoring. Saturday night was only Fiddler's second game since returning from an injury which had kept him sidelined since the end of October.
After netting three power play goals in Game 1, Calgary was back at in again Saturday night. Reid Jorgensen's attempt from the right faceoff circle was stopped by
Jordan White, but Brock Nixon was on the doorstep to register his first of the playoffs for the 2-0 lead at 9:56.
Another player returning from injury found the back of the net in the second period as Calgary extended their lead to three at 7:29. A rocket from the point by Luke Egener sailed past White as the Dinos' defenceman scored his first goal since Nov. 12.
Nixon scored his second of the night at 14:36 for another tally on the man advantage. Cory Pritz sent a pass down to Nixon at the left side of the net where he backhanded a shot through the legs of the UBC netminder.
White would be relieved to start the third period as back-up goalie
Kraymer Barnstable came into the game.
While it was the Calgary power play which continued to impress with two more goals on the man advantage, to put their total at five in the series, the penalty kill was just as impressive. Twice the Dinos' penalty kill was forced to work with only three men on the ice and was able to work through it both times, including once midway through the third.
Things cooled down in the third period until the final minute as a scrum ensued in the Thunderbirds' zone after the whistle. Cooler heads would prevail though as the game would end soon after with Dustin Butler picking up the shutout.
The Dinos outshot the Thunderbirds 29-17. Calgary was 2-for-5 on the power play, while UBC was 0-for-7.
The decisive third game of this series goes Sunday afternoon at Father David Bauer Arena, with puck drop at 4 p.m. The game will be streamed live on
CanadaWest.tv.
The winner of the series will advance to take on the first-place Manitoba Bisons in a best-of-three Canada West semi-final series next week in Winnipeg.
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